Sightings

Main sighting: Spoonbill

Spoonbill, Spotted Redshank, Teal, Tufted Duck, Stonechat, Shoveler, Shelduck, Black-tailed Godwit, Cormorant, Dunlin, Gadwall, Greylag Goose, Knot, Lapwing, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Marsh Harrier, Redshank, Ringed Plover, Wigeon

Main sighting: Swallow

Male Swallow this morning – first of the year on the patch. Also, 7 singing Blackcaps (first singer here was on 25th Feb) and 6 Chiffchaff (first here on 14th Mar). 10 displaying/squabbling Mandarin Duck; GS Woodpecker excavating nest hole in Alder; pair of Little Grebe displaying. Much birdsong from the resident species – it sounded like Spring even if it didn’t feel like it!

Main sighting: Red Kite

Red Kite sighted over back garden in Caldicot, this morning.

Main sighting: Godwits

55 species on afternoon visit including a pair of cettis, 4 chiffchaffs, pheasant, gt spotted woodpecker drumming and 1 singing blackcap. Hide one – 9 redshanks, 7 teal, 2 herons, 3 gadwall (5 more from hide 3), 11 shoveler (26 more from hide 3), 12 ringed plovers (1 with an injured leg), the lingering single dunlin also present, skylarks, pair of stonechats and 3 lapwing. Redshank platform – male marsh harrier, reed buntings, 1 spotted redshank, female kestrel hunting, 3 pair wigeon (21more from hide 3), 3 knot, shelduck and a good count of 552 black-tailed godwits (133 on lagoon 2 and the remainder on lagoon 3). Snipe platform – 4 mute swans, pair of tufteds and a single male, peregrine hunting twice. Hide three – 5 avocet, spoonbill still present, 2 cormorants and 11 meadow pipits. Seawall – gt black-backed gull, curlew and oystercatchers and the brent goose mixed in with Canada’s on the saltings.

Main sighting: Winchat

Surprisingly lovely warm dry visit- 50 different birds seen
Best sightings listed below
Goldcliff in vicinity of hide 1
Grey heron. Kestrel
Drumming G S Woodpecker
Wren Spotted Redshank

Hide 2 vicinity
Ringed plover. Snipe Shoveler
Stonechat. Meadow pipit. Reed Bunting
And great views of a Winchat in sunshine hopping between posts and wire fence r from Hide 2

Hide 3 vicinity including mudflats
Gadwall 300 + Black tailed godwits
Avocet. Curlew. Oyster catcher. Skylark

RSPB Newport wetlands
Chaffinch. Greenfinch. Marsh Harrier
Cetti’s warbler

Main sighting: Spoonbill

A good variety here today including;1-Spoonbill,3-Knot,8-Avocets,1-Brent,1-Peregrine,1m-Marsh Harrier,1-Spotted Redshank with breeding plumage just starting to show,and once again large numbers of Black’wits 456++

Main sighting: Curlews

We’ve now had reports of Curlews back on breeding territories at 7 sites in Gwent – this is excellent but we want more! Please send all your sightings (or heards) to Curlew@gwentbirds.org.uk and don’t forget to mention any display. Detail required can be found on the GOS Home page – just scroll down to find it.
If anyone is able to spend a little more time monitoring a specific pair please email the same address – we need to know what stages the Curlews have reached. Help on monitoring will be given.

Main sighting: Brambling

6 Brambling below the Varteg Road Cemetary. This site has consistently produced 6 to12 on each of 6 or 7 visits. Also seen were several Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcap, 3 G. S. Woodpeckers, Jay, Bullfinch and Mistle Thrush.
On Saturday 26th, on a Grouse monitoring walk with Nicholas B. up the Blorenge, 3 or 4 Red Grouse seen and a fourth heard.

Main sighting: Red kite

Kite circling over town centre. Flew off North.

Main sighting: Fieldfare

Fieldfare, flock of 60+ feeding in grass field. One pair of Bullfinch in lane nearby, as well as Greenfinch singing.

Main sighting: Sand Martin

3 Sand Martin upstream from Llanfoist bridge this morning plus a flyover Green Woodpecker

Main sighting: Merlin

Merlin 1 female Pintail 50 Wigeon 50 Shoveler 40 Redshank 135 at hightide.